Call for citizens to protect Vizag’s unique springshed water ecosystem

On 14 July 2024, the Greater Visakhapatnam Citizens’ Forum, as a part of its regular “knowledge sessions”, organised a talk titled “Vizag’s Endangered Water Bodies and How Communities Can Save and Revive Them” at the Vizag Public Library. The speaker was Lokesh Sinram of the DHAN Foundation.

Lokesh Sinram said that Visakhapatnam, renowned for its natural beauty and pleasant climate, holds a fascinating water ecosystem. The Centre for Urban Water Resources at Dhan Foundation has meticulously decoded essential information about Vizag’s hydrology, compiling primary data on 179 water bodies within the city. He revealed that Visakhapatnam, in fact, is situated within five river basins. He said that their mapping efforts reveal an intricate hydrological network. Notably, Vizag features a unique “springshed” ecosystem, characterized by numerous springs, locally known as “dhara” or “voota” in Telugu. Among these, Sethama Dhara and Mathava Dhara exemplify the city’s uniqueness.

As Lokesh Sinram delved into these insights, he proposed a holistic approach for action planning, encouraging Vizag citizens to take responsibility for shaping the city’s water future. Since 1998, Dhan Foundation has actively supported 33,000 vulnerable families across 157 slums in Vizag through Self-Help Groups (SHGs). He was certain that by incorporating water management into the city’s policy agenda, the quality of life of Vizag’s communities would improve dramatically. Such an initiative would make the city face the water needs of the future with confidence. In his fascinating presentation, he showed the audience some examples of community involvement in rejuvenating Vizag’s water bodies.

GVCF members Lieutenant Colonel Subba Rao (President), Sohan Hatangadi (Vice President) and Captain Viswanathan (Secretary) and Subrahmanyam (Jt Secretary) along with other members were present at the occasion, discussing the endangered water bodies of Vizag. Their common message was “Let’s unite in our efforts to secure a sustainable water future for Visakhapatnam!”

About GVCF:

Greater Visakhapatnam Citizens’ Forum (GVCF) is an advocacy group comprising concerned Vizagites. It was formed in mid-2023 with the purpose of enhancing the quality of life of Vizag’s citizens and making their voices heard. Among several issues, the forum focuses on broad areas such as environmental sustainability, traffic issues, sanitation and public health, mobility for the elderly and specially-abled and preserving our rich heritage.

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